Data showing an 8.8 per cent increase in practising pharmacists in the healthcare workforce and in healthcare activity were highlighted recently, as the latest national data tables on non-monetary healthcare statistics were published. This data allows researchers and the wider public timely access to national information and provides them with a better understanding of Ireland’s data on a range of health topics.
The tables published include national healthcare statistics compiled by the Department of Health as part of the Non-Monetary Health Care Statistics questionnaire, administered jointly by Eurostat, the OEC and the World Health Organisation (WHO). This will be the third edition of the annually published tables, prior to their release by Eurostat and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
The data shows:
- The number of practising nurses in Ireland in 2024 was 76,558, an increase of 5.5 per cent from 2023.
- The number of practising dentists in Ireland for 2024 was estimated to be 2,560, an increase of 3.8 per cent from 2023.
- The number of practicing pharmacists in Ireland in 2024 was 6,250, an increase of 8.8 per cent from 2023.
- Graduates in health-related fields of study amounted to a total of 3,455 students in 2023, an increase of 1.6 per cent from the previous year. These fields of study include medicine, nursing, midwifery, dentistry and pharmacy.
- Cataract surgery was the most common surgical procedure in Ireland in 2023 with a total of 44,105 procedures, compared with 39,347 procedures in 2022.
- There were 13,491 hip replacement procedures in 2023, compared with 12,830 procedures in 2022.
- In 2024, a total of 89 MRI units were operational in Ireland, with nearly 85 per cent of them being used in a hospital setting.
Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill commented: “Data for 2024 shows a steady increase in the healthcare workforce in Ireland. There is a 4 per cent rise in physicians, a 3 per cent rise in midwives, and a 6 per cent rise in nurses compared to 2023. Additionally, there has been a consistent increase in graduates in these fields. The increase in the number of practising healthcare professionals and the compiled surgical procedure statistics reflect this Government’s commitment to enhance the quality
of healthcare services in Ireland, and ensure the best outcomes for patients.
“Publishing these national healthcare statistics also highlights our commitment to transparency and the dissemination of vital health information. By providing a means of easy access to this data, we are empowering researchers and the public with the tools they need to gain
a deeper understanding of Ireland’s health service.”
